Vikings stadium costs a lesson for Milwaukee

The headline in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says it all: "Vikings find $975M isn't enough for everything in new stadium."

The newspaper reports: "Officials for the team and public authority overseeing construction have been forced to trim their project wish list to keep the downtown Minneapolis stadium within budget.

"Among the potential casualties: a 400-stall parking garage a block north of the stadium, a skyway linked to a ramp a block south, two large escalators and as much as 40 feet from the height of five massive, pivoting glass doors at the venue’s main entrance."

Here in Milwaukee, we don't need a football stadium. But with public discussion coming soon on a new, multipurpose arena, lots of numbers are being thrown around. Should the community consider a $500 million arena? Or something a little less?

Or should the BMO Harris Bradley Center be retrofitted? How much? $200 million? $250 million? Use whatever number you'd like: it will change.

While retrofitting the arena may be considered, bear in mind two things that will impact the decision. One is that any renovation of the BMO Harris Bradley Center would only extend the life for 10-15 years, not 25 or more. Will that be enough?

Second, one of the key issues that makes the current arena not fit for NBA standards is the upper bowl.

How can the BMO Harris Bradley Center be retrofitted in such a way that it changes the way the upper bowl is configured? Even if that could be fixed, the cost might be prohibitive.